INDIANAPOLIS – The Boston Celtics had their best player, Kyrie Irving, for the entire first-round series vs. the Indiana Pacers.

Victor Oladipo, of course, has been out since Jan. 23 with a quad muscle tear in his right knee. His first time appearing here for a game since he went down at Bankers Life Fieldhouse didn’t do the trick.

Coach Nate McMillan’s team was swept in four games Sunday, 110-106, failing to make it out of the first round for the third year in a row on his watch. The Pacers haven’t advanced since 2014.

Still, their 48-win season wasn’t a waste. They ended up in the same spot as a year ago after struggling to the regular-season finish line, going 10-14 after the All-Star break, but they were without their best player and All-NBA defender.

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) and Darren Collison (2) walks off the court during a timeout late in the fourth quarter of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
(Photo: Matt Kryger/IndyStar)

"They're a deep team. Irving isn't the only player on that roster," McMillan said. "Each night it's been someone different coming off the bench playing or playing in that first unit. Irving does what he does, which is to create for those guys. He's very capable of dominating the game one-on-one. When you send in double-teams, he's getting the ball out of his hands and trusting his teammates."

Irving only had 14 points in shooting 4-for-13, but that doesn't change the pressure he puts on defenses with his presence. Gordon Hayward (20 points) can make 7 of 9, Marcus Morris 7 of 11 (18 points), Terry Rozier 4 of 6 (11 points) and Jaylen Brown 5 of 9 (13 points) as they produced a 37-point fourth quarter win both road games.

The Pacers, who lost the last seven meetings with the Celtics after their only victory in the Nov. 3 matchup on Oladipo's pullup 3, had every starter shoot less than 50 percent.

The Celtics, however, weren't always a poised and under control team that was infinitely smarter. They turned the ball over a lot.

They have better talent from top to bottom than the Pacers but this wasn't Milwaukee vs. Detroit. It was not the cakewalk a sweep could imply.

McMillan made significant adjustments on both sides of the ball. The Pacers didn't play through the post as much after Game 1 because it was ineffective with Domantas Sabonis being left-hand dominant. They went back to the post in Game 4, even using Myles Turner on the low block as Sabonis faced up for what was sure to be open mid-range shots.

Defensively, they tried everything to slow down Irving with mixed success from hard hedging on the ball screens to trapping him outright.

"They were throwing multiple bodies at me," Irving said. "Making sure the ball was out of my hands."

Would Brad Stevens, the Celtics’ universally praised coach who advanced to the East finals a year ago, have gotten his team past McMillan’s if, hypothetically, he’d not had Irving for the series while McMillan had his star?

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Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) and Darren Collison (2) walks off the court during a timeout late in the fourth quarter of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) walks off the court following their game against the Boston Celtics at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers guard Darren Collison (2) and Myles Turner (33) walk off the court following their game against the Boston Celtics at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Dejectedd Pacers Kyle O'Quinn (10) and Aaron Holiday (3) late in the second half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers Myles Turner (33) walks off the court following their game against the Boston Celtics at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers Myles Turner (33) hugs his father David Turner, following their game against the Boston Celtics at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) fights for position under the basket with Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward (20) in the first half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward (20) and Kyrie Irving (11) begin to celebrate late in the fourth quarter of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward (20), Kyrie Irving (11) and Marcus Morris (13), right, begin to celebrate late in the fourth quarter of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo (4) smiles at the Pacers face at the start of the second half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) is fouled by Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) in the second half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward (20) pulls in a rebound over Indiana Pacers forward Thaddeus Young (21)in the second half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers guard Tyreke Evans (12) drives on Boston Celtics forward Marcus Morris (13) in the second half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward (20) and Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving (11) celebrate a play in the second half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers forward Thaddeus Young (21) defends the shot by Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving (11) in the second half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis (11) is fouled by Boston Celtics forward Marcus Morris (13) in the second half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers forward Thaddeus Young (21) and Boston Celtics forward Marcus Morris (13) fight for a rebound in the second half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis (11) argues a call with referee John Goble (30) in the second half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) is fouled by Indiana Pacers forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) in the second half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis (11) is fouled by Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) in the second half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) is fouled by Boston Celtics forward Marcus Morris (13) in the second half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward (20) and Indiana Pacers guard Wesley Matthews (23) chase down a loose ball in the second half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Boston Celtics defeated the Pacers 110-106.
Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward (20) slams down two point over Indiana Pacers guard Tyreke Evans (12) in the first half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) blocks the shot by Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) in the first half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) goes up for a dunk on Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward (20) in the first half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) drives around Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving (11) in the first half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. Matt Kryger/IndyStar

Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis (11) shoots around Boston Celtics forward Daniel Theis (27) in the first half of their game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, April 21, 2019. Matt Kryger/IndyStar

The tone of the conversation likely changes immediately. Suddenly, McMillan is credited with “outcoaching” the Zionsville native.

Coaching matters in the NBA playoffs. Stars matter, too.

The Pacers were in position in the second half to win the first three games but were doomed by an eight-point and 12-point third quarters as well as a 12-point fourth quarter. They rushed shots. They made bad entry passes into the post. They panicked.

While the Pacers avoided prolonged droughts Sunday, scoring at least 23 points in each quarter, they couldn't match Boston's efficiency. Indiana finally broke 100 points for the first time as Tyreke Evans (21 points) and Sabonis (14 points, eight rebounds) came off the bench to pick up the slack.

Much like a season ago when the Pacers held the Cleveland Cavaliers with LeBron James to about 16 points less than their season average before losing in seven games, the Celtics were kept to 99.3 points. They averaged 112.4 in the regular season.

"We did enough defensively to win this series," Turner said. "We just had times where our offense wasn't flowing like it needs to. Our execution wasn't on point. This time of season your execution has to be everything."

CLOSE

The Boston Celtics close out the Indiana Pacers in game four of the series.
Clark Wade, Clark.Wade@Indystar.com

Everything now is about looking forward. The Pacers’ attention turns to the offseason with the NBA Draft Combine next month in Chicago, the draft itself in June, free agency that opens July 1, Las Vegas summer league later in the month and training camp that begins in the fall.

They’ll have to determine what the roster will look like going forward with expiring deals for Bogdanovic, Thaddeus Young, Collison, Matthews, Evans, Cory Joseph and Kyle O’Quinn.

"I'm going to take some time off and just try to assess my situation," said Collison, who will be 32 in August. "I have big plans coming up this summer. I finished out the season pretty strong for my age. I've led the best way I can these last two years."

Rookie Edmond Sumner, along with rookie Aaron Holiday, are longer-term projects who should stick around. Both have strengths – Holiday as a scoring/3-point shooting point guard and Sumner as a versatile wing who can play on ball and defend multiple spots -- that could eventually fill roster weaknesses.

Still, they're unlikely to become go-to players down the stretch of games like Sunday's in such a short time.

What this first-round exit highlighted is that without Oladipo, the Pacers are limited in creating easy offense to maximize their shooters like Bogdanovic and Doug McDermott, the latter of whom didn't play in Game 4.

Open shots, even for average shooters, are good shots. Open shoots for good shooters are great shots.

Boston got both because of Irving.

"It's easy for them because they've got so many weapons that can close a game," Collison said. "Vic has been our closer for the last couple of years. To not have him on the court is big. Think about the playoffs that he had last year and how amazing he was. Just imagine if we had that this year. But when you're in the moment, you don't try to think of that."

Ideally, the Pacers have shooters who can create, and vice versa. The most difficult action to defend is ball screens when the player setting the screen is a shooter along with the ballhandler. The same applies to off-ball screeners. It's a dual threat.

The Pacers often were singular threats, missing a shooter on one side of the action. This is how Boston was able to play with deep drops and force Collison and Joseph to prove they can make the shots first and packing the paint to prevent Young, Sabonis and Turner from diving down the lane for dunks.

In a pick-and-roll heavy league, where the Pacers derived 25.6 percent of their offense during the regular season, their execution remained poor, be it with the ballhandler or the screener with converting shots from it. They ranked 27th, three spots from the bottom of the league.

No Oladipo. No consistent ability to force the defense's hand led to bigger issues in the half court.

With Irving, the Celtics could rely on his individual brilliance to bail them out such as when he scored the winning layup in their March 29 regular-season meeting or 37 points in Game 2.

When the Pacers adjusted to take away Irving’s path to the rim more effectively in Game 3, the point guard was able to create and his spot-up shooters such as Brown, Tatum and Al Horford were able to make them.

Whether they rolled to the rim or popped for jumpers, they seemed to always cash in.

Talent-wise, this series never was close but the Pacers were able to make it uncomfortable every step of the way.

"We were short," Bogdanovic said. "We can argue why we were short or what was wrong, but they were a better team the whole series. I don't think we deserved to lose 4-0 but that's how it is. We lost our momentum (in Boston). We needed to get one game."

As Young put it often about what was going wrong in the series, it wasn't about the Pacers' desire, effort or preparation.